FYI: October 2003

THE
MIGHTY DUCKSThey
may have been built for the bathtub, but an orphaned flock of 29,000
rubber duckies has made an incredible journey across three oceans—after
floating for more than 11 years. Keep a lookout: They’re expected
to make landfall soon in New England.

The
not-so-lucky ducks were accidentally cast into the Pacific Ocean from
a container ship en route from China to Seattle, Washington, in January
1992. They were lost during a storm somewhere near the intersection
of the 45th Parallel and the international date line.

The castaway critters, which also included rubber turtles, frogs, and
beavers, drifted en masse along the Alaskan coast. Three years later
they entered the Bering Strait and began a slow transit of the Arctic
Ocean. After another five years, they reached Iceland, and by 2001,
they passed the spot in the northern Atlantic where the Titanic sank,
according to the Associated Press.

“Some kept going, some turned and headed to Europe,” said
Curtis Ebbesmeyer, a retired oceanographer who’s been tracking
the toys’ progress, according to the Greenwich Time. “By now,
hundreds should be dispersed along the New England coast.”

Needless to say, the duckies and their friends have taken a pounding.

Originally
stamped with the inscription “First Years” and dyed in a variety
of bright colors, the smiley creatures are now completely bleached and
battered. But many of the original 29,000 are still floating after their
turbulent journey, and Ebbesmeyer says that the toys have helped oceanographers
better understand the way surface currents behave.

The strange adventure also underscores how persistent some castaway
cargo can be. In this case, 20 containers were lost; on average more
than 10,000 containers go overboard every year. If rubber ducks can
make it this far, so can more hazardous flotsam and jetsam.

003Number
of guest appearances made by PMY editors on major TV or radio
stations this summer. (Richard Thiel, “Out and About” on Sirius
satellite radio; Diane M. Byrne, CNBC’s “Power Lunch”;
and Elizabeth Ginns, Nautical Talk radio in Marshfield, MA.)

THINGS
WE LIKEAfter
a rigorous day of testing boats, diligent PMY editors, always
on the cutting edge, often test yet another nautical innovation—the
“Yacht-tini.” Designed and engineered by Grey Goose for the
famous PMY/Sail party at the 2003 Miami International
Boat Show, she’s a highly sophisticated, yet deceptively simple,
piece of naval architecture.

Her
body: 3 parts Grey Goose
vodka, 2 parts Apple Pucker schnapps, and a dash of sour mix. Her fit
and finish: one slice of Granny Smith apple. The verdict: After repeating
the test numerous times, let’s just say that our editors were reeling
with praise.